By the end of the first century, it is evident that Christian places of worship had developed a somewhat standard form of architecture. Churches from the 1^st through the 3^rd centuries took classical Greek and Roman architecture in its most flourished form as its main influence. Classical architecture had at this time reached its height after developing for thousands of years.

The tendency to use Greek and Roman architectural styles was made without reference to their original symbolism. This allowed for a more complete freedom of architectural styles. There were, however, unique designs that were created specifically for churches. One of the few architectural developments made by early churches was the construction of a dome on top of a polygon.

The Basilica

The term Basilica originally denoted anything kingly or lordly. The basic characteristics of a basilica in terms of a place of worship are: a rectangular ground plan divided longitudinally into three or five aisles by columns which support the roof. The roof above the middle aisle (the nave) is raised above the adjacent aisles so that its supporting walls have openings for air and light. A half dome projects beyond the rectangular plan.

Armenia is believed to be the first nation to adopt Christianity as the state religion. The country therefore has some of the oldest churches. Thaddeus, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and also referred to as St. Jude, spent many years spreading the gospel in Armenia. In 68 AD the country built a monastery dedicated to him. It is the oldest church still standing, and currently within the borders of Iran.

By the third century, it was the Middle East that was the most flourished region for Christianity. This area mostly included Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt. Unfortunately it is in this area that early Christian monuments have either been completely destroyed or hardly explored. Many of these early churches were likely converted by Islam into mosques, the most notable example being Hagia Sophia.

Here Syria is an exception. The conquest of Islam left the greater part of this area an empty desert. Since most of these early churches were built of stone, they have survived. They are therefore some of the best available examples of Christian architecture from the third and fourth centuries.

The Holy Land, especially Jerusalem and Bethlehem, was a place of pilgrimage and therefore was the site of many beautiful churches. Many of these were constructed first by the order of Roman Emperor Constantine and later Justinian. Scant remains are still left of these churches. The Crusaders who came 1000 years later, in their love of building, showed little respect for ancient monuments.

We would expect Egypt to be a wonderful place of ancient churches to explore, since it was one of the first Christian strongholds. But here too, the Coptic churches have been so thoroughly destroyed or fundamentally altered that not much more than the original foundation can be discovered.

Plan Views of Early Churches

Exterior and Interior Views of Early Churches

Originally published May 29, 2017
Updated March 2021
Researched and Written by: Thomas Acreman

Sources:
  Monuments of the Early Church by Walter Lowrie, M.A.
  A History of Christianity by Owen Chadwick
  Early churches in Syria: Fourth to Seventh Centuries by Howard Crosby Butler
  Desert Syria, the Land of a Lost Civilization by Howard Crosby Butler
  St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery - UNESCO